Acts
Chapter 11
1 The apostles and believers in Judea heard that non-Jews also accepted God’s message.
2 When Peter arrived in Jerusalem, those who were circumcised argued with him.
3 You are accused of going to uncircumcised men and eating with them.
4 But Peter explained the story from the start, and told it to them step by step, saying,
5 I was in Joppa praying when I fell into a trance and saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, held by its four corners, and it came down to me.
6 I looked closely and saw animals with four feet, wild creatures, crawling things, and birds of the air.
7 I heard a voice telling me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”
8 But I said, “No, God, because I have never eaten anything that is not pure or clean.”
9 The voice from heaven told me again, “What God has made clean, do not call ordinary.”
10 This happened three times, and then everything was taken back up into heaven.
11 Look, right away three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying.
12 The Spirit told me to go with them without doubting. Also, these six friends came with me, and we went into the man’s house.
13 He showed us how he saw an angel in his house who stood and said to him, “Send men to Joppa and ask for Simon, also known as Peter.”
14 Someone will tell you messages by which you and your whole family will be saved.
15 As I started to talk, the Holy Spirit came on them, just like it did on us at first.
16 I remembered what God said: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
17 Since God gave them the same gift as he gave us who believed in Jesus Christ, who was I to oppose God?
18 When they heard this, they became quiet and praised God, saying, “So God has also given to non-Jews the chance to turn from their sins and receive life.”
19 Those forced away by the troubles starting with Stephen went to places like Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling God’s message only to Jews.
20 Some of them were from Cyprus and Cyrene, and when they arrived in Antioch, they spoke to the Greeks, telling them about Jesus.
21 God helped them, and many people believed and turned to God.
22 News about these events reached the church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
23 When he arrived and saw God’s grace, he was happy and encouraged everyone to stay loyal to God with a determined heart.
24 He was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, and many people joined God.
25 Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul.
26 When he found him, he took him to Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
27 During this time, prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that a big famine would happen all over the world, and it did happen when Claudius Caesar was in power.
29 The followers decided to send help to their fellow believers in Judaea, each one giving as much as they could.
30 They did this and sent it to the leaders through Barnabas and Saul.